Just like cars being hit by trains and people getting hit by bullets, the story of a local driver with four, five, six DWIs has been written by just about every crime or courts reporter at this newspaper. In November 1998, I wrote about a 58-year-old Abita Springs grandfather convicted of his fourth DWI. Two months later, I wrote about a 32-year-old Slidell man convicted of his sixth. In October 2009, a Covington man was convicted of his seventh.

Jennifer Englade

So I can't profess surprise at our recent story about Jennifer Englade, a 40-year-old LaPlace woman. Authorities say Englade had been arrested four times on suspicion of driving drunk before she allegedly caused a May 26 that killed a 20-year-old expectant mother and her unborn child.

Between 2001 and 2005, a Louisiana motorist could spend more time in jail for a second DWI than he or she could possibly get for a third. That made no sense. And though that law has been removed, Englade's story suggests that there still exist loopholes that allow drunken drivers to stay on the road.

What's the fix to this problem? What's the best way to properly recognize alcoholism as a disease but avoid letting that compassion morph into policies that keep our roads dangerous?